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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24526837">Call it a Friendship Knot then</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/duesternis/pseuds/duesternis'>duesternis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>And now, gently [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Terror (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Domestic Fluff, Domesticity, Established Relationship, Fix-It, M/M, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, pen-pals, this is essentially a christmas story</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:15:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>899</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24526837</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/duesternis/pseuds/duesternis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They looked at each other, reminded of the luck they had had. Both hale and healthy now, the passage and the terror around it nothing but memories.<br/>John reached for Henry’s elbow as they crossed the street, the motion nothing more than the act of aiding a friend over the busy road. It was simple reassurance, a hug improbable at this moment.<br/>Henry leaned into John’s hand.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>John Bridgens/Harry Peglar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>And now, gently [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769338</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Call it a Friendship Knot then</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The second part of a short trilogy. All the parts stand well on their own.</p><p>    Unbeta-d and English is not my first language. If you notice a slip up or a glaring typo please tell me, so I can edit accordingly.</p><p>    Please feel free to leave a comment and quote your favourite line back at me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Henry watched John look at fruit, bread safely tucked under his arm. His fingerless gloves had been knitted by Henry’s sister and sent as an early Christmas gift.<br/>
Henry adjusted his basket of groceries in the crook of his arm and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.<br/>
They really should be better used to the cold, he thought privately and stamped his feet.<br/>
That drew John’s attention.</p><p>They looked at each other quite like they used to do on the voyage.<br/>
Eyes smiling and faces a polite mask.<br/>
Then Henry poked his tongue between his teeth, grinning at John. No need for all that. The city gave them quite enough anonymity to share a real smile.<br/>
John smiled back, cheeks colouring fetchingly above his beard.<br/>
He turned back to the merchant, made his purchase – finally – and then found his way over to Henry.</p><p>"Are you cold?"<br/>
John squeezed Henry’s forearm, code for a 'dear' tucked at the end of a sentence.<br/>
Henry shrugged and relieved John of his paper bag, putting it into his basket.<br/>
"A little, but once we get moving again, I’ll warm up. Don’t worry too much, John."<br/>
They stood a moment longer, scrutinising each other for signs of fatigue they were trying to hide.<br/>
Habit, and all.</p><p>They both drew up blank and John nodded.<br/>
"Then I only need to pick something up at the post office, and we can go home."<br/>
"You have a package waiting for you?"<br/>
"Something from the Hs. The good Doctor sent a card he had it placed at the office, not knowing when we would be available, he thought it the safer option."</p><p>Henry smiled and shifted his basket, trailing John with a half step.<br/>
"Very thoughtful of him. News from Collins?"<br/>
"Better, Harry said, but still not entirely well. He might never be again."</p><p>They looked at each other, reminded of the luck they had had. Both hale and healthy now, the passage and the terror around it nothing but memories.<br/>
John reached for Henry’s elbow as they crossed the street, the motion nothing more than the act of aiding a friend over the busy road. It was simple reassurance, a hug improbable at this moment.<br/>
Henry leaned into John’s hand and together they stepped into the post office.</p><p>The clerk knew them and readily pulled the package down from his shelf. John exchanged the simple pleasantries that came so easily to him, while Henry peered at all the different things kept around the small, dusty room.<br/>
Paper and ink, stamps, wax of all colours.<br/>
Packages and letters and crates waiting to be picked up.<br/>
He read names and addresses where he could, until John called his name softly from the door.<br/>
They went home then, John with the package under his arm and the bread in his hand.</p><p>Up the stairs and into their cool flat.<br/>
Henry lit the stoves, while John unpacked the groceries. Put the kettle on.<br/>
Then they came together over the flat but hefty package from Edinburgh.<br/>
"Books?"<br/>
"Probably. Maybe some treat or other."<br/>
"Something from Mr Collins?"<br/>
"Maybe. At least a card."</p><p>Henry smiled at John and John undid the string around the package. Unwrapped the brown paper neatly and Henry poured tea.<br/>
The flat box and tea were brought to their chairs by the fire and they sat.<br/>
Drank, feet tangled by the warmth.<br/>
Henry eventually lifted the lid of the box to pale green tissue paper.<br/>
Then a card nestled into blue flannel.<br/>
The paper was thick and firm under his fingers and Henry read aloud:<br/>
"For the colder months, a gift from the heart. H&amp;H"<br/>
On the back it said in Collins‘ square hand "Not quite Christmas yet, but we can appreciate timeliness, I believe."</p><p>John smiled and reached into the box, taking the gift out. It unfolded into a quilt, backed with the blue flannel.<br/>
The front of it was swirls of blue too, put together out of different fabrics and patterns. A sun shone bright in one corner.<br/>
"That’s the ocean", Henry said, awed, and touched the quilt with two fingers.<br/>
"That will look handsome on our bed. It’s very sweet of them."<br/>
Henry stood and traced the interlocking rings all over the quilt with the flat of his palm. The fabric was soft, the needlework exquisite, as far as he could judge.</p><p>"I didn’t know they sewed, the two of them."<br/>
"Maybe they had it made. Either way it is quite the gift. We’ll have to send something back before Christmas."<br/>
Henry nodded and helped John fold the quilt back up.</p><p>"I’m almost done with the sweater, it could be for Collins. And Darwin’s new book for the Doctor, maybe? He so likes his theories."<br/>
John smiled and cupped Henry’s face in his palm.<br/>
"That’s an idea, dear Henry. Let me put this on the bed and we’ll have dinner. Then we’ll write a thank you note for the two of them."</p><p>John squeezed the quilt against his chest and Henry pressed a kiss to the jut of bone at John’s wrist.<br/>
He watched John slip into their bedroom and pursed his lips at his knitting. He’d have to think about something else for John’s present then.</p><p>Maybe that handsome Shakespeare edition he had been eyeing at the bookstore.</p><p>The few shillings more than the yarn was just as well for his dear John.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The quilt is a wedding quilt. The pattern of the interlocking rings is also called the Friendship Knot, so that's where the title stems from.<br/>The tradition of wedding quilts only really took off in the early 20th century, but the pattern has been around much much longer.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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